“…not good.”

Azrael gained consciousness, with the God of Mischief’s last words still fresh in his mind. He felt something digging into his back and tried to grab it without opening his eyes. His hands found it. It was a stick. Why was there a stick in his bed?

His eyes opened. He didn’t have any plants in his room either. So, why were there leaves above him? Actually, what had happened to his roof? Beyond the leafy canopy above him, there was only blue sky.

Azrael sat up and looked around. Where was his bed? Why was he on a forest floor? Which forest was he in anyways? Unlike the trees that surrounded the lake these were easily four or five times the size, stretching between 50 or 100 meters in height.

Before he could start getting his bearings, far too many blue boxes flashed into his vision in rapid succession.

Congratulations!

Due to surviving an encounter in the void you have gained the title ‘Void Touched’.

‘Void Touched’

Those that have survived through the impossible can turn even the worst into a blessing.

You are more likely to be positively affected by random effects of the void.

Congratulations!

Through having seen the flow of mana [Mana Sense] has evolved into [Mana Sight].

[Mana Sight]

Though you could not see it, you have learnt.

You may now see the mana in the world around you.

Congratulations!

Due to having been exposed to the void your skill [Stone Shaping] has mutated into [Void Shaping].

[Void Shaping]

Even the eternal, the infinite, the unbreakable and the impossible can change.

By drawing on the power of the void you may exert influence to change the form of physical matter.

Congratulations!

By gaining the acknowledgment of the Trickster you have gained the title ‘Blessed by Mischief’

‘Blessed by Mischief’

Some have a natural talent for creating chaos.

There is an increased chance that people will believe your disguises and deceptions.

Warning!

Your title ‘Sinner’ has activated! Due to forging your own path a god’s judgment has doubled.

Congratulations!

The Trickster rewards those who are unique and stray from the usual paths. Your title ‘Blessed by Mischief’ has become ‘Trickster’s Blessing’.

‘Trickster’s Blessing’

Even the Trickster has favourites.

People are more likely to believe your lies, deceits, disguises and deceptions.

Congratulations!

Due to being exposed to an overpowering [Aura] and gaining an awareness of your own you have gained the unique skill [Aura].

Congratulations!

Due to withstanding a greater [Aura] with your own your [Aura] has gained an aspect of Defiance.

Congratulations!

Due to your skill [Intimidation] your skill [Aura] has gained an aspect of Intimidation.

Congratulations!

Due to your class ‘Lord’ your skill [Aura] has gained an aspect of Authority.

[Aura]

Some kings wear their power as a cloak.

Those around you will be affected by your aura. This effect increases the stronger you are.

Current Additional Aspects:

Defiance: You are more likely to resist negative status effects from stronger opponents

Intimidation: Weaker opponents are more likely to fear you.

Authority: You are more likely to be obeyed.

Congratulations!

For enduring beyond mortal limits you have gained END+3.

Congratulations!

For gazing at secrets not meant for mortals you have gained INT+3

Congratulations!

For comprehending knowledge not meant for mortals you have gained WIS+3

Congratulations!

Through passing through the void and surviving alive you have gained the title ‘Void Walker’

‘Void Walker’

For those that have passed through the impossible, everything else is possible.

Your soul and body are able to move through separated dimensional spaces, rifts, realms and magics without negative effect.

Congratulations!

An incomplete skill @*^$ !&#% has gained an awareness of Self and developed into the unique skill [@#%& Self]

Absolutely overwhelmed, Azrael opened his [Status] in the hopes of getting a clearer view on what he’d just read through. It was all too much to process.

Status

Name: Azrael

Class: Runist (Lv.4), Sorcerer (Lv.3), Lord (Lv.4)

Race: Human (97%)

HP: 230/230

MP: 280/280

STR: 19

END: 23

DEX: 20

AGI: 15

INT: 28

WIS: 30

Titles:

{Sinner}, {Heretic}, {Master of Status}, {Rune Master}, {God Watched}, {Lord of the End Forest}, {Teacher}, {Oath Maker}, {Void Touched}, {Trickster’s Blessing}, {Void Walker}.

Unique skills:

[Status], [Elemental Mana], [Aura], [@#%& Self].

Skills:

Weaving (Lv.2), Crafting (Lv.15), Spear Arts (Lv.20), Mana Sight (Lv.23), Mana Manipulation (Lv. 26), Soul Sense (Lv.15), Mana Control (Lv.26), Dramatic Flair (Lv. 3), Stealth (Lv. 24), Calm Mind (Lv. 11) Lord’s Domain (Lv. 2), Lord’s Insight (Lv. n/a), Leadership (Lv.6), Void Shaping (Lv. n/a), Reinforcement (Lv.13), Dagger Arts (Lv.22), Meditation (Lv.24), Mana Transfer (Lv.5), Craftsman’s Eye (Lv.1), Intimidation (Lv.6), Overcharge (Lv.1), Search (Lv.8).

Even after looking at his entire [Status] he couldn’t quite comprehend anything. The meeting with the Void primordial and the God of Mischief were still too prominent in his mind for him to try and think of anything else.

Slowly he began sorting through the notifications. The first notification seemed to say it all; ‘Void Touched’. He could feel it. After being torn apart and put back together by the void, he had gained a finer sense for anything that had to do with him. This included such changes.

The touch of the void seemed to slightly infuse his very being, as if it had stuck to him when he’d been torn apart. It had changed him, becoming a part of him.

He looked at his [Status] – Race: Human (97%). He hadn’t really paid much attention to this bar and the change scared him a little. He was sure that those missing 3% had either been taken, or changed by the void.

He looked down at his body. He was still human, at least mostly, according to the status. He wondered if the change was a onetime thing, or if the percentage would continue to change.

Cautiously dropping into [Meditation] he gave his body a quick once over. He wasn’t sure that he liked what he found.

The feeling of the void was strongest in the core of his soul, in his divine spark, where he could feel a direct connection to the void. It wasn’t connected to The Primordial of the Void, but the void space he’d been in. He just hoped some ancient eldritch horror didn’t use the connection to enter the world.

In a way the connection seemed much like Sophie’s connection to Purity, where she drew upon her goddess’s power to influence the world.

Azrael knew that if he tried, he could draw upon the paradoxical powers of the void through [Void Shaping]. He didn’t though. The memories of the void were too fresh in his mind for him to try and summon it through his soul. The possible risks seemed equally dangerous. Afterall, it had changed his skills and his very being.

Despite being able to draw on this connection to the void he hadn’t gained a related class, like Sophie’s [Advocate of Purity], or even a title like he had from the ‘Trickster’s Blessing’. It seemed that there was something he wasn’t understanding;

Would he have to find ‘that place’ in order to accept the Void’s offer, or was it tied up to something else. Did primordials even need champions? He could understand a god needing one, to fulfill their agendas, but what about primordials?

What would the Void Primordial require from him? Afterall, it was the personification of all possibilities – the potential of everything.

Leaving the mystery, he turned his mind to one of his skills which had evolved in the void. [Mana sense] had evolved to [Mana Sight].

While being torn apart by the torrents of the void he had seen and passed through countless streams of mana, gaining an intrinsic understanding of how mana interacted with the physical realms and itself.

He had realised there was no ‘one’ mana, but many types of mana which were ever changing and formed a complex spectrum. His four mana types, [Fire], [Earth], [Water] and [Air] were only a few of many.

Curious about the change in one of his oldest skills he was about to activate it when he felt something small impact him in the neck from behind.

Reaching his hand back, Azrael pulled out a dart. He looked at it confused. There had been no pain when he pulled it out. No, that wasn’t the problem. Where had it…

Azrael frowned as an unfamiliar notification popped up.

Warning!

You have been paralysed.

It was followed shortly after by a second notification, but Azrael never saw it.

Warning!

You have been knocked out.